Taking a Chance
by blueber
Summary: This is a slightly AU Fosters story inspired from the fanfic "In Another Life" by cmww. What if Jude was fostered by the Fosters instead of Callie, and Callie was a runaway living on her own? This is in Callie's POV as she gets to know the Fosters, with lots of Stef & Callie interactions (which I love). Hope you enjoy it. Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Foster/Jacob characters
1. Chapter 1

**Taking a Chance**

This is an slightly AU Fosters story inspired from the fanfic "In Another Life" by cmww. What if Jude was fostered by the Fosters instead of Callie, and Callie was a runaway living on her own? This is in Callie's POV as she gets to know the Fosters, with lots of Stef & Callie interactions (which I love). Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Foster/Jacob characters in any shape or form.

**Chapter 1: Finding Jude (Callie's POV) **

I'm getting worried. I haven't been able to find Jude for 3 months. Usually I find him within a month. I'm losing my touch. I know he got moved from that horrible foster home after I called the police. I saw his foster father getting arrested, and I know that slime's not back from jail. Where did they move Jude? I hope he's okay. I'm always scared for him after they move him until I can check out his new foster parents.

I've been calling all the public schools in the area. It's not easy to get information out of them about their students, but I have my schemes down. Like:

"Hi, I found a backpack at the bus stop near your school and it says Jude Jacob on it. Is he from your school?"

Or "I have an immunization record for a student Jude Jacob here. Can I fax it to you?"

It works. You just have to be confident. But so far, I've only gotten "Sorry we don't have a student Jude Jacob here".

I tried all the group homes last month with no luck. Now I'm trying schools in the suburbs. There aren't that many foster homes in the suburbs, but maybe he lucked out. Maybe I'll try the charter schools too.

"Anchor Beach Charter School. How can I help you?"

"Oh hi, I found a lunch box near your school and it has the name Jude Jacob on it. Should I drop it by your office?"

"Sure, just bring it by the office. His mom will take it. "

Bingo!

I wonder what she meant about his mom?

I look up the address at a library computer and plan the bus route there. His school day is done at 3 PM, same as my school, but if I skip my afternoon classes, I can take 2 buses and get there in time. I'm coming Jude!


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Anchor Beach School**

Wow, this is some fancy school, on the beach and everything. I think Jude lucked out. I sit by the beach staring at the school doors, willing Jude to come out. The doors finally open and kids start running out. I think maybe I missed him, but then I see him slowly walking out. My heart sings, and I start grinning.

"Jude! Jude, over here!" I wave.

Jude finally looks up and stares at me for a second and then starts grinning too and runs into my arms.

"Callie! I can't believe you're here! I've been waiting so long! I thought maybe you got caught and went to juvie again or worse. I'm so glad you're here!"

We hug, and I twirl him around and around.

"Are you okay baby? How's your new foster home?" I ask.

"It's really good, Callie. I have two moms and two foster brothers and a foster sister. They're all older than me, and they really look out for me. The food is great, and they even have video games! And guess what? They want to adopt me!"

"Wow Jude! It sounds great!" I say with a smile. But inside my heart sinks a little when I hear they want to adopt him. I'm so relieved that he's in a good home, but will he still be my brother if he's adopted? Will he still need me? For years, I've been telling myself that I just need to hang on a couple more years until I'm legally an adult and can adopt Jude myself. Maybe I have to let go of that now.

Jude asks, "Where are you living Callie?"

Just as I'm about to answer, I hear someone say, "Jude, who are you talking to?"

I look up and see a tall elegant woman with long curly hair approaching us. She's like a goddess or a queen or something, with her crown of curls.

Jude says excitedly, "Lena! This is Callie!"

"Callie?" Lena repeats. She looks confused.

Jude turns to me and introduces her, "This is my foster mom Lena! She's the vice-principal."

The vice principal? Oh no, just what I need. I better try to make a good impression. She looks way out my league. I have to play it right so she'll let me see Jude and not think I'm just gutter trash or something. I stretch out my hand and say "Pleased to meet you. I'm Jude's sister Callie".

She shakes my hand but still looks confused. "Sister? I didn't know Jude had a sister." She turns to Jude and says "Honey, how come you didn't tell us? Or Bill?"

Uh oh, I always tell Jude not to breathe a word about me until I find him. And I don't want Bill his social worker involved. I can't go back into the system.

I smile and explain, "Jude and I have been separate foster homes for the last four years. We only get to see each other when our foster families are okay with it. I wasn't sure where he was moved after he was removed from his last foster home, but my social worker was able to tell me which school he was in."

I'm not sure if she's buying it.

Jude pipes in, "I've missed her so much Lena, and I wasn't sure if I'd get to ever see her again. Can she please come home with us and hang out just for a little bit? Please?"

He looks up with his puppy eyes, and Lena gives him a hug. I know from the gentle look she gives him that she will give in.

Lena turns to me, "Well, I guess so….Callie, would you like to come visit our house and we can talk about this?"

"I would like that Lena. Thank you very much," I pretend I'm ultra polite and cultured.

"Would you like to come in our car? The other kids are at their after school activities so it's just Jude and me right now."

"Okay. Thank you so much." Foster parents like politeness. I'm hoping for some brownie points here.

I get in the back of the car with Jude and squeeze him tight. Lena starts asking questions like "Did your foster parents drop you off?" but I pretend I didn't hear her and ask Jude about his school instead.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: The Fosters' Home**

We arrive at a nice house in about 10 minutes. Jude really did luck out. It's the nicest foster home I've seen. We walk inside, and it feels warm and comfortable and lived in. There are shoes and jackets and a skateboard. You can tell that a lot of kids live here. There are photos everywhere, and the kids look happy in the photos.

Lena walks us to the kitchen and says, "Jude, why don't you get a snack for you and Callie". But while Jude is rummaging around the refrigerator and pulling out healthy food like apples and carrots, Lena starts the third degree.

"Where do you live?"

"Oh I'm with a very nice foster family right now about 30 minutes north of here," I lie.

"Did they drop you off?"

"No, they're at work. I just took the bus after school". Oops, will she realize my school lets out at the same time? Hope not.

"And you've been with that family for four years?"

"Oh no, I've been in a lot of foster homes."

Lena looks at me for awhile after that and for some reason, I feel myself getting teary-eyed. What the hell? It's her big eyes. I feel like she's looking deep inside me and seeing all my feelings and thoughts. I look down and gather myself. I make sure my face is blank when I look up again.

"And what school do you go to?"

"Um, North East High School," I lie some more. I used to go to North East awhile back. I'm back at JFK High School now, but I don't want her to tell Bill where I am.

"What grade are you in?"

"I'm a sophomore. I'm 15," I answer truthfully for a change.

Finally, Jude has the snacks out, and Lena says that we can go out in the garden with our snacks to catch up. Phew, what a lot of questions. Most foster parents really don't care who I am as long as I don't cause trouble. Lena's different alright.

Once Jude and I are alone, I ask him, "Is Lena good to you?"

Jude reassures me, "Lena's great! She really understands me, you know. She's really good at listening and making me feel better about things."

I can see that. I used to be the one who made him feel better about things though. My heart twinges just a little bit. I am happy for him though.

Jude asks me with worried eyes, "Callie, are you safe? Do you have enough food? Where are you living?"

"I'm doing okay. Really!", I reassure him, "I'm actually doing better than ever. I get free lunch at school, and I have a job at a pizza place after school so I get to eat pizza every day."

Jude likes that. "Can I come visit you at the pizza place?"

"Maybe."

"Do you have a place to sleep?" he presses on.

"Yeah, Dino, the guy who runs the pizza place, he lets me stay there most nights in the back, and sometimes I go to my friends' house. And I can shower at school in the girls' locker room."

"Okay. I'm really glad you came to see me, Callie. I missed you."

"I missed you too, buddy. Do you think Lena will let me visit you?"

"I think so. Stef will have more questions though."

"Who's Stef?" I ask.

"She's my other mom. She's a cop," Jude answers.

A cop! I can't get a break. Maybe it wasn't a good idea to come to this house. Authority figures make me anxious. They've always meant trouble for me. And here are two of them in one house.

"She's really nice too though. And lots of fun!" Jude reassures me, but all I can think is a cop and a vice principal, what next?

Just then, Lena comes out with three teenagers behind her. She introduces me to Brandon, Jesus, and Mariana.

Mariana has attitude, "Jude how come you didn't tell us you have a sister? And where have you been all this time? How come you didn't even call him?"

She looks like a Barbie doll and comes off a little rude. I tell my story again about being separated and being put in separate foster homes.

Jesus seems nicer and says, "We were lucky. They never separated Mariana and me, maybe because we're twins."

Lena tells me that they adopted them 5 years ago. Well, goodie for them.

"We weren't so lucky," I say. "Jude had a better chance at a good home without me. People don't usually want to adopt older kids."

Lena gives me that look again. I hate seeing the pity in her eyes. It makes me mad. But then, she says, "Callie, would you like to stay for dinner? If it's okay with your foster parents".

Well, maybe pity's good for something. Free dinner anyway. I politely accept, and we come inside so that I can pretend to call my foster parents. I dial a random number and quickly press end-call when they aren't looking and then have a pretend conversation. My pretend foster parents are very agreeable and let me stay for dinner :-). I quickly go to kitchen and tell Lena and then offer to help set the table and chop the vegetables for the salad. All part of my plan.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Meeting Stef**

Just as we're setting the table, the door opens again and it's a blond woman in a cop uniform. This must be Stef. I feel my body tensing up. I usually avoid cops. I'm sure there are some nice ones out there, but my past experiences with them haven't been good. I still remember being handcuffed in the back of a police car and being taken to juvie. Yes, I did trash my foster dad's car with a baseball bat, but he deserved it and the cops never believed me when I said he was an abusive S.O.B. I don't trust cops.

Stef yells out "How's my babies tonight?" and gives everyone kisses and hugs. She turns to me and says "Who's this?" with a smile. Lena and Jude explain the whole thing which is good because I'm not sure if I can talk to a cop yet. I excuse myself and go to the bathroom so I can get myself together. Hold it together Callie, I tell myself.

Then, we all sit down to eat, and I have to say that the food is really good. I'm not picky because there have been plenty of days when I didn't have enough to eat, but I have to admit that this is a good place for Jude. It's dangerous for me, but at least I won't have to worry about him.

Of course Stef starts with the third degree too. I expect it from a cop. She asks all the same questions as Lena, where do I live, where do I go to school, my age, and so on. I give her the same lies, since Lena's right there. Stef is a little scarier to face though.

"So Callie, do you know Bill, Jude's social worker? I wonder why he didn't mention you," Stef continues with the questioning.

"I don't know, but my social worker, she said that Bill's often very busy," I stall.

What if she calls him? I can't think of how to stop her. And he'll probably tell her that I ran away from a group home about two years ago and to call the police next time I show up. Of course she is the police, so she could probably just arrest me herself. I'm playing with fire here.

"What's your foster family's name? We should talk to them so that we can come up with a visiting schedule," Stef presses on.

"Um, their last name is Smith. Actually, I just have a foster mom, Helen Smith, and she was about to go to work tonight so she's not at home right now," I lie some more. I'll have to remember that name, Helen Smith. And North East High School. That's the problem with lies. It's hard to remember them and keep them all straight. I wonder if she's trying to trip me up.

"Maybe she could give us a call?" says Stef adamantly.

"Um, sure. Actually, I've only been with her for a few months, and she's very busy, but I'll ask her."

Stef fixes her eyes on me and softly asks, "Is it a good foster home?"

"Um yes," I look down. When I look up, she's still watching me. I think she's weighing my words and trying to decide if I'm lying or not. I need to watch what I say around her.

"Maybe we should call your social worker. What's her name? Or Bill can get in touch with her."

Oh god, how do I get out of this. I decide on the direct approach. I look her in the eyes and plead, "Actually Stef, I would really appreciate it if you didn't call Bill. Um, my social worker doesn't get along with him, and I don't want any trouble with my social worker or my foster mom right now."

She stares into my soul some more, weighing my words.

"If you don't want me to come see Jude, that's okay," I continue, "I just wanted to make sure he's okay, and I can tell that this is a very good home for him. Thank you for taking care of him so well," I finish up with tears in my eyes.

Lena gently adds, "Jude has brought a lot of joy into our lives too. He's a special boy. We love him very much."

Jude can't stop himself and speaks up, "I love being a part of this family, but please, could Callie come and see me sometimes too? She's my family too, and I miss her. Maybe she could come by this weekend to see me?"

Stef looks at Jude thoughtfully and finally nods, "I'm sure we can work something out. Callie, we're going to the beach on Sunday. Would you like to join us? You could meet us there at 10 AM and spend the day with us. We can all learn more about each other."

I let out the breath that I was holding in. She couldn't arrest me at a beach, right? Maybe she won't call Bill. I don't know. "Sure, I'd like to come to the beach with you."

I make it through the dinner interrogation and then I get up to leave, but Jude doesn't want me to go. He wants me to help him with his homework like old times. After helping with the dishes (brownie points), we set up our homework in the living room and I help him with math while cuddling on the couch. I've missed this sweet boy. And I've missed having someone to hug. It feels nice.

After a while, Lena comes in and tells Jude that it's time to get ready for bed, but he starts getting teary again. "Lena, can Callie spend the night? Please? I just don't want her to go yet."

"Tomorrow's a school day, Jude. I'm sure Callie's foster parents will want her to come home and get ready for school too," Lena explains.

Stef pops her head in and asks me, "Do you need a ride home?"

I try to think of what to say. These women and their questions really keep me on my toes.

"Um, my foster mom's working the night shift tonight, so I'm on my own. I'll just take the bus."

Stef says, "I can take you home," leaving no room for refusal.

"Uh, that's okay. I'd really just like to walk a little and get some air and then take the bus."

"It's getting pretty late," Stef insists, "I'd rather give you a ride."

She's pushy alright. I'm just about to argue back, but luckily Lena intervenes, "You know, maybe you should spend the night on our couch, and Stef can give you a ride to your house in the morning on her way to work before your school starts. Especially since your foster mom is not at home tonight anyway. If your foster mom doesn't mind of course."

Jude looks at me and pleads, "Please Callie?" I don't want to give in, but I have a hard time refusing Jude. I think he's worried about me.

I compromise, "Sure, I'll leave my foster mom a message. She won't mind. I told her where I was. Thank you for letting me spend the night." I don't tell them that I plan to get up early and sneak out of the house on my own first thing tomorrow morning.

I help Jude get ready for bed and tuck him in and read him a story, and Lena lends me some pajamas and makes up the couch for me. I take a long hot shower that feels so good. And then I settle in. I leave the curtains open so the sun will wake me up in the morning before anyone else gets up. I usually can't sleep the first night in a new place, but somehow it feels safe and I close my eyes.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Stef and Lena talking**

Stef and Lena processed the night's events in their bedroom that night while folding the laundry.

Lena glanced at Stef, "Honey, what do you think about Callie? I don't understand why Jude didn't tell us about her."

Stef replied, "I don't know, love. I think there's more to it than either one of them are saying."

Lena gave her a quick hug, "There's something about her that I like though. It's obvious that she loves Jude and that Jude loves her. She seems like a good sister. And she's been polite and helpful tonight."

Stef climbed up on the bed with Lena and explained further, "I'm suspicious about her living situation. It was obvious that she didn't want us to contact her foster mom or Bill. I just wonder why."

"Do you think we should call Bill?" asked Lena.

Stef thought for a bit and replied, "I'm not sure. I don't want to cause trouble for Callie, but I also want to make sure Jude is safe with her, and that Callie is safe at her foster home. I'm worried about her well-being too. It's a tough decision, but maybe we should wait a bit."

Lena sighed, "Let's see what happens tomorrow. I'd like to get to know her better. Maybe you can check out her foster mom and her house when you drop her off tomorrow?"

"I will," Stef agreed and leaned in to give Lena a kiss.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6 Part 1: Callie sneaks out (Callie's POV)**

The next morning, I wake up as the sun illuminates my couch at the Fosters' home. The house is so quiet. It's hard to get up from my cocoon of blankets and leave. It still feels warm and safe. But I drag myself up and quietly fold the blankets and gather my stuff. I steal an apple from the kitchen and write a quick note to leave on top of the blankets:

Thank you for everything! I'm leaving early so I can grab a change of clothes before school.

Jude, I love you! See you on Sunday.

Callie

I carefully open the front door and sneak out. I feel sad about leaving Jude, but happy that he's safe. I walk by the beach to the bus stop. It's beautiful outside.

I do want to come back on Sunday, even though I'm a little scared of them. I'd like to spend some time on this beach and see Jude again.

I make it to school just in time with my head full of thoughts about last night.

**Chapter 6 Part 2: Gathering Information (Lena & Stef)**

Lena and Stef were surprised to see Callie gone the next morning. Why did she sneak out?

The morning was a mad rush like always as everyone grabbed breakfast, made their lunches, and ran out the door to school and work. The day rolled on with after school activities, homework, and dinner.

At the end of the day, Lena and Stef finally had a moment to themselves to catch up and discuss the Callie situation some more.

Lena flopped down on the couch next to Stef and said, "So, I called Bill today."

"You did? I thought we decided not to," Stef sounded surprised.

"Well, I didn't tell him everything. I just said that Jude told us he has a sister named Callie and asked whether Bill knew anything about her. I felt like we needed more information after Callie snuck out in the morning," Lena explained as she leaned into Stef.

Stef turned and raised an eyebrow, "What did he say to that?"

"Well, prepare to be shocked. Bill said that Jude does have a 15 year old sister named Callie, but that Callie ran away from a group home about two years ago, and they don't know where she is! He said she's probably moved on to another city and might be living on the streets. I couldn't believe it!"

Stef looked sad but not too surprised by this news. She turned to look at her spouse and said,

"I can't believe they've lost track of her for two years! But I'm not completely shocked she's a runaway. I went looking for more information too today. I looked up Callie Jacob in the police database and found out that she has a record."

Lena gasped, "What?!"

"Yep, she was in juvie for destruction of property when she was 12. And she was reported missing when she was 13. It doesn't look good Lena," Stef confirmed sadly.

"Do you think she's living on the streets, Stef?"

"I don't know, my love. I don't think she's in a foster home. But maybe she's staying with a friend or a boyfriend or something. She doesn't seem homeless. She mentioned going to school. Her clothes were clean, and she seemed drug free. Most of the street kids are on crack or something."

Lena seemed disturbed, "God, I didn't even think about drugs. I'm not sure if Jude should be around her."

Stef appeased her, "I don't think she's involved with drugs. She's not like the runaways I see on the street, love. But she's obviously lying about some things. I didn't like how she snuck out in the morning. She made sure we couldn't track her down."

Lena thoughtfully replied, "She did leave a thank you note though…. I think I want to give her a chance, Stef. She's somehow touched my heart. And Jude's crazy about her, but if she's a bad influence…. I just don't know."

Stef replied assertively, "Well, I want to ask her some serious questions on Sunday. Maybe we'll get some answers."

Lena put her hand on Stef's knee and murmured, "Don't scare her away though. For Jude's sake."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Sunday at the beach (Callie's POV)**

I feel nervous on Sunday morning. Part of me wants to go to the beach to see Jude, but I'm also a little scared. Will they confront me about sneaking out? Did they call Bill and report me? The buses aren't as frequent on the weekend so I'm half an hour late getting there.

Jude runs up and says, "Callie, you made it! I was worried you weren't going to come. Come see me surf on my boogie board!"

I avoid the moms and run into the waves with Jude. I laugh as the spray hits me. We laugh and play for a good hour. His foster siblings are actually a lot of fun, even Mariana. They race with us into the waves and come up with fun games. It feels like a perfect day. I guess this is what family life feels like sometimes.

We finally come back to the towels, and Stef and Lena are laying out sandwiches and fruit for lunch. Lena offers me a sandwich, but I say no thank you, even though I'm hungry.

Stef gives me a look and forcefully says, "Well there's lots, so take one."

For some reason, I do what she says. I don't want to start a fight.

After lunch, Jude and his foster siblings want to go back to the surf. Once Jude is out of earshot, Stef turns to me and says, "Can I have a word with you, Callie?"

Uh oh.

Stef pins me with her eyes and confronts me, "Have you been in trouble with the law?"

God, she's looked up my record. I'm sure of it.

I gulp and start blushing and then decide to come clean. I look down and quietly reply,

"Yes, a couple times. When I was 11, I stole food from a store for Jude and me because our foster family never had enough to eat. They didn't press charges, but I think that's when they decided to split us up. And then I got sent to juvie when I was 12 for damaging my foster dad's car with a baseball bat. I was guilty, but I did it to distract him so he would stop hitting my foster sister. And because I wanted to be moved somewhere else ... anywhere else."

Stef looks shocked and concerned, "Did he hit you too?"

I continue, "Only when he was drunk, which was pretty much every night. I was covered in bruises when he called the cops on me for trashing his car, but they didn't believe me when I said he hit us. I ended up in juvie, but at least they started an investigation and took his foster care license away awhile after that."

I'm shocked that I'm telling her all this, but it somehow feels cathartic to let it all out.

Stef puts her hand on my knee and murmurs, "I'm sorry that happened to you. That shouldn't have happened."

I look up and see the pity in her eyes, and all of a sudden, I'm filled with rage. I angrily spit out, "I don't need your pity. I'm fine!"

Luckily, Jude runs up and grabs me to swim with him before Stef can say another word. I throw myself into the water to cover up the tears in my eyes.

After a while, Stef and Lena come to play in the water too. I tense up, but Stef whispers, "It's okay Callie. Let's just enjoy the day."

Jude's right; his foster moms can be fun when they aren't being scary. Stef, Brandon, and Jesus throw Jude in the water and he happily screams and giggles. Lena and Mariana teach Jude to do a cartwheel in the sand. I can't help but smile. We build a giant sand castle and decorate it with shells.

In the late afternoon, I feel pleasantly tired and sun kissed. I know I should catch a bus back soon.

Jude wants to know when I can come back to see him. "I'm working every night this week, Jude, but maybe next weekend?"

Mariana asks all about my job at the pizza parlor and whines, "Mom, why can't I get a job?"

Stef replies, "You can, when you're older. But I'd like you to concentrate on your school work just now."

Stef looks at me and asks with concern, "How many hours a week do you work?"

I work pretty long hours. Usually 5-10 PM every day and all day on Saturday. But I don't want to tell her that. "Um, I work after school sometimes for a few hours and on Saturdays," I murmur.

Then to change the subject, I ask what time it is and start checking the bus schedule.

Stef jumps in with, "No sneaking off this time Callie. We'll give you a ride home. I'd like to see where you're staying and meet your foster mom."

I quickly say, "Actually, I have plans to go to a friend's house tonight. My foster mom is working again."

Stef gives me a concerned look, weighing my words again.

Lena leans over and softly asks, "Callie, could we have a home number for you so Jude could get in touch with you?"

"Um sure," I reply defensively, "but unfortunately our phone is disconnected right now. It's just some mix up. I'm sure it will be fixed soon."

Stef gives me another look. She knows I'm lying, but I can't seem to stop.

She gently but firmly asks, "Do you have a safe place to stay, Callie?"

I look up in alarm, "Yes, I do….please don't worry about me." I try to reassure her.

She takes out a business card and writes their home phone and cell phone numbers down on it and holds it out, "Okay, I'll stop the questions, but we'd like you to call Jude on Wednesday after school, just to check in. And you can call us anytime, if you need anything. We want to make sure you're safe. And we'd like you to come spend Sunday with us again next week."

I take the card and nod. Stef doesn't really leave me a choice. I can't think of a thing to say. Luckily, I see my bus coming down the street, so I say quick goodbyes and run for the bus.

I'm not even sure what I've told them anymore. I somehow ended up telling more of the truth than I wanted to. I know Stef is suspicious. She's a cop! If I was smart, I wouldn't go back next week.


	8. Chapter 8

*** Author's Note: I started writing this story because I became obsessed with the story "In Another Life" by cmww and wanted more details. Credit for the great AU idea goes to cmww. I did end up changing some things and going off on some new tangents. This is my first attempt at writing fiction, although I've written a lot of non-fiction, so thank you for the reviews and encouragement. My writing style is a bit terse, but I'm working on it. I'm struggling a bit with filling in the details and the "s/he said" type of text around the dialogue so that it sounds less stilted (Ch. 5 is a good example of my difficulties), but I think it's getting a bit better. I'm planning on about 12-14 chapters and will finish it soon. I'm obsessed with this story right now, and it seems to have a life of its own! ***

**Chapter 8: Next Sunday at Fosters (Callie's POV)**

All week, my head is spinning. My conversations with Stef keep running through my head. What does she know? Did I give away too much? Are they going to report me? Every time I see a cop car, I tense up.

On Wednesday, I know I should call Jude like Stef told me to, but I just can't. I'm worried that Stef or Lena will answer the phone and confront me. I take extra shifts at the pizza parlor so that I'm not tempted to phone. The week goes by and I haven't phoned.

By Sunday morning, I'm exhausted from juggling school and working all week and tossing and turning at nights thinking about the Fosters and all their damn questions. I convince myself if I show up at the Fosters' home, Stef will probably arrest me herself.

I pace all Sunday morning trying to decide what to do. By 1 o'clock, I'm feeling so guilty about not calling or visiting Jude that I decide to take a chance and call their home. I use a payphone so they can't track me down. I'm so relieved when Jude answers the phone.

"Hello, Fosters residence."

"Is that you Jude?" I ask with relief.

Jude shouts into the phone, "Callie? Where are you? I've been so worried! Lena said to give you time and that you would call or visit, but I was giving up hope."

"I'm sorry buddy! Really sorry! I just had a lot of work this week."

"Callie, could you please come by just for a couple hours today? Please!" Jude pleads with me.

I have such a hard time saying no to Jude. I ask, "Is everyone at home?"

"It's just me and Lena today. Stef took an extra shift, and everyone else had activities and things," Jude reassures me.

I murmur, "Okay, I'll take the next bus." I feel better knowing I only have to face Jude and Lena.

I ring their doorbell an hour later and Jude gives me a huge hug. Lena greets me with a smile, but doesn't confront me. I think she's giving me space. Jude and I hang out in the yard. He shows me his hand-me-down bike, and Lena lends me a bike so we can ride around the neighborhood and by the beach. It's a nice afternoon.

Then, we settle inside with some homework. Lena comes in with some snacks for us. She quietly sits for awhile. I ask Jude about his favorite classes and teachers at school while Lena listens. Then, Jude asks me the same.

I think for awhile and then reply, "I guess English, especially writing, is my favorite. I have a cool English teacher, Ms. McMillan, who really gets us to think about what we're writing."

Lena asks, "Is that Ella McMillan? I know her, and she's great. But I thought she taught at JFK High School, not North East High."

I quickly backpedal, "Oh, you must have misheard me. I said Ms. McDillon, not McMillan. Her first name is Sarah and she's at North East High School." I blush and look down at my books. I swear one lie just leads to another lie.

Then, I notice that my math book is stamped JFK High School on the side. I quickly cover it with my notebook. I hope she didn't notice.

After dinner, all the siblings come home, and Jude wants me to stay for a movie night. I'm so exhausted, physically and emotionally, that I fall asleep in the middle of the movie. I wake up to Stef's hand on my shoulder. I guess she came home during the movie. I immediately shoot up.

"Whoa, steady there, sweets," she says.

Did she call me "sweets"? I probably misunderstood her in my sleepy state.

Stef tells me with a no nonsense tone, "You, my friend, are spending the night here, and I'm not arguing with you. I'll take you to school in the morning."

I'm too sleepy to resist so I snuggle into my couch and blanket cocoon again. I'll sneak out in the morning, I think to myself.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9: Caught**

The next morning, I try to sneak out like last time, but when I go into the kitchen to grab an apple on my way out, Stef is already there!

"Going somewhere?" Stef smugly asks.

"Um, just getting ready for school," I reply guiltily.

"Good. Come sit and have some breakfast." It's not a request.

Stef sits down across from me, and I know I'm in trouble.

She locks eyes with me and carefully says, "We know you're a runaway, Callie. You're not in the foster system. We haven't reported you, but we are worried about where you're living and if you are safe. I'd like to hear the truth from you."

My stomach drops, and the seconds tick by while I try to come up with an answer.

I finally start spinning another lie, "Stef, I'm sorry if I misled you. Thank you for not reporting me. I'm staying at a friend's house, and they do want to foster me, but they just haven't gotten their foster care license yet, but they've applied. So, it's like a soon-to-be foster home. Please don't report me. They'll put me in juvie as a flight risk."

I hold my breath while she carefully considers my words.

"I would still like to meet them and make sure you are safe," she insists.

"Okay," I give in. What else can I say really.

I try to buy some time by asking, "I'd like to talk to them first before you meet them, if that's okay."

"Alright, I'll give you a couple days," Stef compromises.

"Do you want to tell me why you ran away from the foster system, and how you've survived on your own?" she asks in a gentler tone.

I shake my head no and start to cry.

She puts her hand on top of mine and rubs my hand, "It's okay." She seems at a lost for words for once. We sit like that for awhile.

I whisper, "I'm sorry, Stef."

"We just want to make sure you're safe, Callie. We're all worried, Jude, Lena, all of us," Stef continues.

"I have a safe place to stay, really! You don't have to worry about me!" I argue back.

Stef continues more forcefully, "So, here's the plan. You will come by after school on Wednesday to see Jude and spend the night with us. And I will come pick you up on Sunday and meet the family you are staying with. Understood?"

"Yes," I nod with no hope left. I was so relieved at first to think up a new plausible story, but the lie totally backfired on me. Now I'm in a deeper hole, and I have a week to think of a way out of it or to disappear for good. My stomach hurts.

Stef gets up and says, "Okay sweets, go get ready and I'll take you to school."

This time I'm sure she called me "sweets". It makes me feel better somehow. She probably calls everyone that though. It doesn't mean anything.

Stef of course drops me off at North East High School and then I have to run and catch another bus to get to JFK high school. I miss first period, but at least I make it back to my own life. That was a close call. Now, I just have to figure out what to do. I wish my lie was true. I wish I had a soon-to-be foster home, just so Stef could meet them. I don't want to disappoint her.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10 Part 1: Stef & Lena Checking Up **

Later that day, Lena called Stef during lunch.

Lena asked, "Stef, did you drop off Callie at North East High School?"

"Yep", Stef replied.

"Hmm, so she didn't come clean about that."

Stef asked, "What do you mean, love?"

Lena explained, "Well, when Callie was doing homework with Jude, she mentioned that her favorite teacher was Ms. McMillan, but when I asked her if it was Ella McMillan who works at JFK High School, not North East High, she changed her story. I got suspicious, so I emailed Ella to see if Callie is really in her class, and she is!"

"Surprise, surprise," Stef angrily replied, "that girl is full of lies and evasion."

Lena continued, "Ella also said that Callie's one of her favorite students. She's smart and a talented writer, but Ella thinks she has a rough home life. Callie misses or skips school a lot and that brings her grades down. Ella said that when she asks her about it, Callie tends to disappear for a couple days, so she's been treading lightly because she really doesn't want her to quit school. She said Callie has a lot of potential."

Stef said, "Well, we all agree with that assessment. I just wish Callie would stop lying to us. We could help her."

"I think she's scared, love. Scared that we'll report her. Scared she'll end up in juvie again."

"The streets are a scary place too, babe," Stef replied, "Let's see if she shows up on Wednesday. At least we know what school she's in now. We can track her down if we need to."

**Chapter 10 Part 2: Wednesday (Callie's POV) **

It's Wednesday, and I know that Stef will probably hunt me down if I don't show up. So, I skip my last period and take the bus to Jude's school. Jude's so happy to see me. I haven't thought about how to get out of my web of lies on Sunday, so this might be the last time I see him for awhile. We walk back to his house together.

Lena comes home a little after us and asks if she can talk to me privately. I can tell Jude doesn't want to leave me, but he squeezes my hand and goes upstairs. I'm wondering what now? Have they reported me?

Lena asks me to sit down by her and says, "Callie, I emailed Ella McMillan, and she confirmed that you are in her English class at JFK High School and one of her favorite students. Why did you lie to us about where you go to school?"

My stomach drops again. Wow, these women are good detectives. Lying has become a way of self preservation for me, and I really thought I was good at it. But they keep uncovering them one by one.

"Um, I'm not sure," I finally say. I don't know where to look. I can't look Lena in the eyes.

Lena calmly remarks, "I can guess why. I think you didn't want us to be able to track you down because you thought we would report you."

I look down and nod. "I'm sorry, Lena. I didn't want to lie to you, but I was scared that I'd end up back in juvie, so I was trying to cover up my tracks." I'm trying very hard not to cry.

Lena puts her hand on mine and says, "No more lies, okay? We're on your side."

"Okay," I say. But inside, I'm shaking, and I just want to escape.

No one's on my side. That's ridiculous.

I excuse myself to go the bathroom and secretly grab my backpack on the way. I open the bathroom window and jump out into the garden. I run all the way to the bus stop. I'm in full panic mode and can't seem to calm myself down.

I realize that I didn't even say goodbye to Jude, but I can't go back now.

I'll have to drop out of school. I can't go to classes worrying that they could report me at any time, now that they know exactly where I am during the day. I feel worried and anxious but also very sad and alone.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11: Dino's Pizza Parlor (Callie's POV)**

I skip school the rest of the week and work every night at Dino's pizza parlor. I spend Sunday alone, without Jude or the Fosters. I feel like I'm walking around in a daze. My life seems very empty all of a sudden.

I feel bad that I'm breaking my promise to Stef to come over on Sunday, but I know that would be very foolish now. Stef and Lena slowly break down every lie I use to protect myself. They'll report me if they know where I am. I can't take the chance to go see Jude anymore. I don't think I'll be able to see Jude until I'm 18.

On Monday afternoon, I'm at Dino's working a late shift again. I have decided to drop out of school. It's Thanksgiving week anyway. Maybe I can find a different school after the break. At least they don't know where I work.

As I'm putting on my apron, the bell on the door tingles. I look up and see a cop walking in. My heart drops. It's Stef! I look around in a panic, trying to disappear, but she fixes me with a glare that freezes me in my spot.

She walks up to the counter and says, "There you are! Can I have a word with you, Callie?"

Dino looks as scared as me, because he's undocumented. He murmurs, "Is everything okay, officer?"

"Yes, it's just a private matter," Stef replies with a grim smile.

"She's my brother's foster mom," I explain to reassure Dino. But I'm terrified too. Did she come to arrest me?

We sit at a booth and she sighs. I have a hard time looking her in the eyes so I keep my eyes focused on the salt shaker on the table.

"Callie, I thought we were done with the lies and the running away," she says sadly.

"I'm sorry," I whisper. I don't know what to say anymore.

Stef continues, "I went by your school, the real one, and they said you haven't been there since Wednesday."

"I was worried you'd find me," I explain quietly.

"Yes, well, I am good at that. I checked all the pizza places near your school. It wasn't hard to find you."

I nod in defeat and ask, "Now what?"

She sighs, "I'm not sure Callie."

I start to cry. Dino sees that I'm upset and walks up to the booth to say, "She's a good kid. I hope she's not in trouble."

Stef looks up and asks him, "Do you know she's a runaway?"

Dino shakes his head but says, "I let her sleep in the back. She works hard. She goes to school. She's a good kid."

Stef turns to me with an astonished look, "So this is where you've been living?"

I guiltily nod. I can't look her in the eye.

"What about the soon-to-be foster home?" she asks.

I might as well come clean. She's probably already reported me anyway.

"I lied about that too. I'm really sorry, Stef. Sometimes I stay at friends' houses, but mostly here. No one wants to foster me," I admit sadly.

I sigh and continue, "I was doing okay until I met you guys. I was saving money to adopt Jude once I turned 18. But I know now that he's much better off with you. He's happy and safe, and I can't give him all that you can…. I guess I might as well go back to juvie or a group home. There's no purpose anymore to my life anyway."

"You're only 15, love. You have your whole life ahead of you," Stef objects.

"It doesn't feel like that. It just feels too hard right now."

Stef lifts my chin and says, "Let us help you, love. We'd like to be your guardians. We want you to come live with us."

"Why would you want me?" I ask, astonished.

Stef puts her hand on mine and looks into my eyes to say, "Because, you've touched something in our hearts, Callie. We want to get to know you and take care of you."

"But I lie a lot," I say with tears in my eyes. I feel like I'm 5 years old or something.

Stef rolls her eyes and says, "I know!"

I feel bad, "I'm sorry for lying to you, Stef. It's just that I was scared that you would report me or even arrest me, and one lie just led to another lie, and I didn't know how to stop."

Stef continues more seriously, "Do you think you can stop all the lying? Can you trust us enough to be honest with us even when it's hard?"

"I don't know. I'd like to…. I'm a little scared though," I stammer.

"I think we should try it and see how it goes. I'd like you to come back home with me now. It's Thanksgiving week, and you have most of the week off of school anyway. Spend the week with us and see how it goes. Give us a chance."

"I have to work," I protest.

"I think Dino will give you the week off if you ask," Stef insists, "Well, is it yes or no, love? Can you take a chance on us?"

I nod and softly whisper, "Yes", even though I'm quivering inside.

We talk to Dino and then head to the back to get my stuff. I feel strange letting Stef see where I've been sleeping. I look around and see the threadbare saggy couch that I sleep on. My handwashed shirt and underwear are hanging on the radiator. On the table, there's a well-worn photo of my mom with Jude and me when we were little and a pack of cigarettes that I quickly shove into my bag. I don't smoke that much because cigarettes are expensive, but I do sometimes. I'm sure Stef wouldn't approve.

In 5 minutes, I have everything I own in my blue duffel bag and backpack.

"Is that all?" Stef asks.

"Yep, I'm ready," I reply, sounding braver than I feel.


	12. Chapter 12

Author's Note: If you read this chapter already, I updated it on 11/18/14 with one more question from Stef at the end about Callie's time on the streets to fill in a detail and add some foreshadowing.

_Stef insists, "Well, is it yes or no, love? Can you take a chance on us?"_

_I nod and softly whisper, "Yes", even though I'm quivering inside._

**Chapter 12 part 1: The Fosters**

Stef drives me back to the Fosters house. It's quiet in the car. My stomach is full of butterflies, and I can't think of a thing to say. I know I should be grateful that Stef and Lena want me to live with them, and I promised Stef that I would take a chance and try to trust them, but it's still very scary for me. What if I can't do it? What if they change their minds? I take a big breath and promise myself to try.

When we get there, Stef opens the door and yells, "We're home!"

Jude runs into my arms and gives me a huge hug, "Callie, you're here! Please don't leave again!"

"I'm sorry baby," I say and just hold him tight.

Lena gives me a smile and says, "Welcome Callie!"

No one seems surprised that I'm there. Stef must have texted ahead.

Jude says, "Guess what Callie? I got adopted last week!"

"Really?"

Lena explains with some hesitation, "We finally got our court date last Friday. Jude wanted you to be there, but we had to go ahead with it."

"It's okay. I'm happy for you buddy! Really!" I say. I have a lot of mixed feelings, but I am happy for him.

"I wish you could have been there, Callie. But I'm glad you're here now. It feels even better now that you're here," Jude says so sincerely.

I give him a hug. I guess that gives me one more reason to try hard with this family. They're Jude's forever family now.

Lena says, "You'll be sharing a room with Mariana. We set up a bed for you. Come on upstairs."

Mariana's room? That's going to be interesting. Her room is very girly, full of posters of pop icons and clothing, shoes, and jewelry. There's no way all her stuff could fit into one bag like mine.

Mariana is staring at me, so I say, "I'm sorry you have to share your room with me, Mariana."

"It's okay," she replies with a shrug.

Jude bounces on my bed and asks, "Mariana, can we look at your magazines?"

We settle on my bed with a stack of magazines, and I listen to Mariana and Jude talking away about famous pop singers. I can tell that Jude likes hanging out with Mariana. Maybe she's not that bad.

Later, Mariana shyly says, "Jude's really happy you're here, so I'm happy for him too. I really like having him as a brother, and actually, I've always wanted a sister too."

I give her a shy smile and reply, "Me too." My heart feels a little lighter.

At dinner, Lena tells me that the kids have school the next day and then a half day on Wednesday before they are off for the long Thanksgiving weekend.

She holds my gaze as she says, "Stef told me that you skipped school for a few days last week and today, Callie. I'm not comfortable with you missing more school. I'd like you to come to Anchor Beach School with us tomorrow. You can shadow Brandon in his classes and try some electives. And if you like the classes, and it seems like a good fit, you can transfer to Anchor Beach. You could take the entrance exam on Wednesday morning."

I don't really see myself in a rich suburban school, but I just nod my head. Stef said to give it a chance, so I will.

The next day is full of new classes at the beachfront school. I'm surprised that I enjoy the day. I try a guitar class and a photography class and like them. I've always tried to keep my head down and not stand out in school. I can usually get by with B's and C's without really trying. It's better to shoot for the middle of the pack so teachers don't pay too much attention to me. I wonder what would happen if I really tried in school. Maybe I could even go to college. Maybe I can have a different future than I thought.

Lena is happy that I like my classes, and she signs me up for the entrance exam the next day. Normally, I wouldn't really try on exams, but I decide to really try this time. It would be nice to be in the same school as Jude for a change. I am a little worried about fitting in though.

After the exam, Lena asks, "How did it go, Callie?"

"Not too bad. I think I did okay," I reply.

"Good! I'm glad. It would be great to have you transfer to Anchor Beach."

"Do you think I'll fit in? I didn't see any other foster kids there," I hesitantly ask.

Lena reassures me, "I know it looks like a rich school, but we actually try hard to recruit and accept a diverse group of applicants. There are other foster kids there, and kids from all walks of life."

"Okay." I still think it's mostly rich kids, but maybe I'll find some misfits like me.

After school, we start getting ready for Thanksgiving day. The Fosters have grandparents and friends coming over. Lena has us in an assembly line in the kitchen, peeling apples and potatoes and chopping them up. The house starts to smell so good with the pies bubbling away in the oven. It smells like home.

**Chapter 12 part 2: Thanksgiving**

I've never been in a house full of relatives on Thanksgiving. It's a bit overwhelming with so many people there. They all want to know who I am, but they seem to know Jude and are friendly when I'm introduced as his sister. There's so much going on that I can mostly hang back and observe from the sidelines.

As I'm taking dirty dishes back to the kitchen, I hear Stef and Stef's mom Sharon talking quietly in the kitchen. I hear my name, so I hang back just at the door's entrance. I don't mean to eavesdrop, but I'm not sure what to do.

Sharon whispers, "Stef, are you sure? What do you really know about Callie? Have you thought this through?"

Stef replies defensively, "Yes Mom, we have thought it through, and we think it's worth taking a chance with Callie. She's a good kid. Give her a chance, okay?"

Lena comes up behind me and pushes the kitchen door open for me. I head for the sink, keeping my head down so that I don't have to look at Stef or Sharon. I can't help but think Sharon is right. They don't really know me, and if they did, they wouldn't want me. I'm not worth a chance.

I sneak out into the garden with a cigarette to calm myself down. I've promised myself not to run this time, but I need some time to think. Just as I light up, Stef walks out, and I quickly stub the cigarette out.

"I saw that, you know," Stef says with a frown, "Do you know how bad those are for you?"

"I know. I'm sorry," I reply, wishing I hadn't gotten caught.

"I didn't know you smoked," she continues.

"I don't. Well, not really. Just once in a while if I'm upset," I try to explain.

"Are you upset?"

I hesitate. "Um, no, but I heard you and your mom talking. I didn't mean to eavesdrop or anything. She's right though - you don't really know me," I say before I think about it too much.

"I'm sorry you heard that, love. But I do know a lot about you. I know that you're a kind and good person, a good sister. I want to get to know even more about you. It's worth taking a chance, right?"

I look down and nod. She reaches out and holds my hand.

"Now, about the cigarettes, I don't want to think what they're doing to your lungs, Callie. It's important to me that you take care of yourself," Stef commands.

"Here, take them. I don't know why I brought them with me," I offer giving her the pack. I realize the pack is from my other life. I want to start a new life.

"Can you quit that easily?"

"Yeah, I really don't smoke much."

"I hate to ask, but I need to know. Have you tried other addictive substances, like alcohol or drugs?" Stef demands in a serious tone.

I remember my promise to try to tell truth even when it's hard. I softly answer, "When I first started living on the streets a couple years ago, I did try things, mostly beer and some pot. It helped to forget about my problems. I hung out with a group of teens, mostly for protection, and some of them were drug addicts. But after a couple months, I saw one of them overdose, and I knew I didn't want that to be me. I had Jude to think about. So, I never drank or used again."

"I'm glad. Thank you for being honest. You can tell us anything, you know. We'll try not to judge. We'll try to help," Stef assures me squeezing my hand.

I nod.

Stef takes a breath and continues, "Callie, why did you end up on the streets? How did you survive?"

I don't want to answer her first question. I can't answer that right now. I slowly reply, "The streets were better than what I left behind. It was hard the first couple months. I wouldn't have survived without help from other teens on the streets. But after the overdose I saw, I tried hard to get my life back on track. I went back to school at a school district where they had records of me from an old foster home so there weren't too many questions. I got an after school job so I didn't have to beg or steal for food. I did it all for Jude, so I could adopt him when I turned 18."

Stef squeezes my hand again, "Not too many kids could do that. You're pretty amazing."

I stand up and stretch, hoping this conversation is over. I hate thinking about those times and talking about them is even harder.

Lena shouts out from the kitchen, "Come eat more pie, guys!"

I don't think I can eat another thing, but Stef says there's always room for pie and pulls me back inside.

When everyone finally leaves, the house is down to 7 people again which seems very little all of a sudden. We all collapse on the couch with very full stomachs. Thanksgiving felt bittersweet. I have a longing to be a part of this family, but it's so hard to feel I belong.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 part 1: The Hike**

The next day, we go on a fall hike and picnic. Stef, Jude, and I climb up a big hill, racing to the top. We sit on a rock warmed by the fall sun and watch the hawks soaring overhead. Stef sits behind us leaning back on a rock and puts her arms around Jude and me. At first, I tense up, but I notice that Jude smiles and leans into Stef. He trusts her. Jude holds my hand, and I try to relax into it. I inhale Stef's scent from her clothes and feel a little lightheaded.

Stef says, "How are you doing, love?"

I look at Jude thinking she's talking to him, but then I realize she's looking at me. I haven't gotten used to her calling me "love" yet. I'm not sure what she means by it.

"Why do you call me that?" I ask in a moment of braveness.

"Call you what?... Love?"

I nod.

"All my children are my loves. You've made your way into my heart too, Callie."

I don't know what to say or where to look. "You shouldn't let that happen," I respond.

"Well, I already have," insists Stef gently.

Jude says, "You'll get used to it, Callie. It's nice."

Stef asks, "Are you feeling overwhelmed with us?"

"Sometimes….I'm not used to so many people."

"You're doing great. I'm proud of you," she replies.

We sit in silence some more. Stef's proud of me, I think to myself. I feel safe in her arms.

**Chapter 13 part 2: The Rules**

On Sunday night, Lena and Stef sit me down for a serious talk.

Lena begins, "How did the week go for you Callie? We think it went well."

I think for awhile and say, "It was hard at times, but it did go well."

Lena continues, "We'd like to go ahead with our petition for legal guardianship for you, if it's alright with you. We talked to our lawyer, and she thinks we have a good case since we've already adopted Jude, and you are his sister."

"Really?" I ask surprised.

"Yep, would you like that?" Stef responds.

I smile, "I think so. I want to be with Jude, and I don't want to live on the streets anymore. And I like it here," I honestly say. "Are you sure though?" I continue. I'm a little worried that I'll mess it up or they'll change their minds.

"Yes, we're sure. We want you to be a part of our family. You already are, no matter what," Stef explains.

"We need to talk about some ground rules though, now that the trial week is up," Stef continues in a serious tone. "I know you're not used to being accountable to anyone, but if you are living with us, you will need to follow the same rules as our other kids."

"What are the rules?" I ask with some trepidation.

"I'm mostly worried about you disappearing on us. We need to know where you are if we are responsible for you. That means going to school every day and trying your best and not skipping classes," Stef looks at me seriously after that one.

I nod and look down.

"On weekdays, the kids have to be home in time for dinner at 7 PM, and on weekends, everyone needs to be home by 10 PM. And we need to know where you are going and with whom if you are not at school or at home. Does that make sense?"

I gulp. I'm mostly a homebody anyway, but I'm not used to telling people where I'm going all the time. I hope I'll remember. "I'll try," I say.

Stef doesn't look too pleased, so I add, "I might need some reminders at first because I'm not used to asking for permission to go somewhere, but I will try my best."

Stef pats my hand and says, "Okay".

Lena hands me a phone, "We'd like you to keep this phone with you. Our numbers are programmed in. And if we text or call you, we'd like you to answer right away, okay?"

"Thanks!" I like the phone, even though I know it's mostly to keep track of me. It has a camera and everything.

Lena continues, "You did well on the entrance exam to Anchor Beach, so you'll start classes there on Monday."

"Can I go to Dino's after school to work?" I ask.

Stef glances at Lena and then fixes her eyes on me, "We think you should cut down on your work hours for now, sweets. You have a lot of new things to get used to."

"But I need to work!" I insist.

"Why do you feel you need to work?" Lena asks in a soothing tone.

"I need to save money for Jude and me," I explain.

"We are Jude's parents, sweetie. We will take care of him. And we want to take care of you too," Lena replies.

I understand now what Stef said about following their rules. It's not easy to give up my independence. I try to explain, "I need to be in control of my life too. I don't know if I can give up making my own decisions."

"We're not asking you to, Callie, but we'd like you to listen to our advice too. We are trying to think of your well-being. You really don't have to work that many hours anymore, and right now, we'd like you to concentrate on your school work and learning to live in a family. That's going to keep you pretty busy. Can you trust us with this and give it a chance?" Stef asks.

"I guess so. I get it, I do. It's just hard," I admit.

"We all want this to work, Callie," Stef replies.

"Me too," I quietly agree.


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14 (the last chapter) Part 1: Monday Worries **

On Monday morning, I'm part of the mad rush of showers, breakfast, and running out the door to school. I like walking with Jude to school. I feel like a real sister doing everyday things with him.

Lena takes me to my first class. "You did very well on the entrance exam, Callie, so I put you in some honors classes. They may be harder than you're used to. You're going to have to stay on top of the homework and try hard, okay?"

"Maybe I'd be better off in regular classes?" I ask hesitantly.

"I think you can do this, honey," she insists, "You're smart, but your grades don't really reflect that. I think you need some challenge to get you engaged with school."

I nod. Lena thinks I'm smart. No one's really told me that I'm smart before. She's right that the classes are challenging, but they're interesting too. I think I can do it.

I make it through my morning classes, but lunch is a bit more daunting. I don't know where to sit. I walk through a sea of blond white Barbies and Kens staring at me or making a point of ignoring me. I finally see Mariana waving at me and go sit with her.

"This is Jude's sister, Callie, who's living with us now!" Mariana explains to her plastic friends. Her friend Kelsey says, "I swear your moms just keep taking in strays."

"Don't be rude, Kelsey!" says Mariana. "Callie's part of my family now."

I'm glad Mariana defends me, but I don't know why she hangs out with these people.

Kelsey just shrugs and says, "Mariana, wait until I tell you about this hot guy I met on the weekend. His name is Liam. Here I have a picture of him." She takes out her phone and there's his face, the face I never wanted to see again! I can't believe it. I feel like ice water is running down my back.

I excuse myself and run to the bathroom. I look ash pale. I splash some water on my face, but all of a sudden, I can't breathe.

I run out in a panic and make my way down to the beach, as far away from people as I can. I know I'm having a panic attack. It's happened before. I try to calm myself, breathing in and out with the waves. The bell rings and I know I'm late to the next class, but I can't move. What am I doing here? I need to get away.

**Chapter 14 Part 2: Aftermath**

I walk further down the beach and sit out of sight through all of my afternoon classes. I feel frozen with panic and fear. My old life has come crashing down on me.

My new phone buzzes, but I don't answer. I glance at texts from Lena and Stef that say "Where are you? Answer your phone Callie!", but I don't answer them. I can't answer. I wouldn't know what to say. I don't know why I thought I could be normal again and be a part of a family. I can't fit in here. I can't fit in anywhere.

Stef finds me an hour later. I see her walking down the beach in her cop's uniform with her phone in her hand. Lena must have called her from work to find me. I see her texting, probably to Lena to say she found me. I feel guilty all of a sudden, guilty for running away again. But part of me is disappointed that I didn't run further away so Stef couldn't find me. I'm tired of running, but afraid of staying and disappointing everyone. I'm not sure what I want anymore.

Stef quietly walks up and sits next to me. "What's going on, love?" she murmurs gently.

"I don't think I can do this, Stef," I reply, my voice quivering. "I'm just not cut out for this. You need to let me go."

Stef looks at me intensely and says, "We can talk about what you're feeling, but first I have to say that running away is never the answer, Callie. We were really worried. Things seemed to be going well, and then you completely disappeared again. We didn't know where you were. Jude was worried sick when you weren't there after school."

That pushes all of my guilt buttons. "I'm sorry," I whisper.

"Mariana said you left after Kelsey mentioned a guy named Liam. Who's Liam?" she demands.

"Um, I don't really want to talk about him," I choke out.

"Well, we're not going anywhere until you do," Stef insists sternly.

All of a sudden I'm angry, at Stef, at the world. I angrily shout, "Fine, you want to know who Liam is? He's a foster brother who told me he loved me and then turned into a monster. He raped me when I was 13. No one believed me, and they put me in a group home, so I ran away!"

Stef gasps, but then she pulls me into her lap and holds me tight. She strokes my hair while I bury my head in her shoulder and cry. It feels like I cry for hours. She just holds me and murmurs, "Sshh, baby, it's okay. I've got you."

"I'm sorry," I finally say when I'm all cried out.

"It's okay," Stef says. "I want you to know that I'll make certain that Liam never hurts you again, and he will pay for what he did. And we will get you help. I just wish I could take all your hurt away too, my love."

"I'm better off on my own," I say, "and you are all better off without me too."

Stef looks in my eyes and says, "You and me, we're a lot alike. We think we have to be strong and not need anyone. But sometimes it takes more courage to let down your walls and let someone in and accept their help and support."

I start to cry again, but Stef is crying too. I don't want her to hurt. I want to let down my walls and let her in.

She continues, "You are a part of our family whether you want it or not. We're not going anywhere. And I will always track you down, so you better get used to it," as she gives me a little squeeze.

She smiles, "And you're still grounded."

"Grounded? What?" I ask astonished.

"You didn't answer your phone, and that was one of our rules, as well as not skipping school, if you remember. I know you were having a hard time, but I need to keep you close to me for awhile for both our sakes," Stef explains in a serious tone.

Somehow I don't mind about being grounded. For the first time in a long time, I want to let someone, Stef and Lena, take care of me. I put my head on her shoulder and murmur, "Okay."

We sit and watch the sunset over the ocean as the waves crash to the shore. I feel at peace. Finally, Stef says, "Let's go home, love". She pulls me up and takes me back home, holding me close.

You never know about life. Things fall apart, but then things change, and sometimes it's worth letting your walls down and taking a chance at something better.

The End.

Author's Note: I really enjoyed writing this story, especially the Stef and Callie conversations in Chapters 4, 9, 11, and 14. What were your favorite parts (if you liked the story)? I'm trying to figure out why I love the Stef and Callie interactions so much. If anyone has figured it out, let me know. Maybe it's because I have a crush on Stef (and often Lena too) or maybe it's because I want to be more like her or maybe both. That tough on the outside but so loving on the inside persona gets me every time. They're great characters! Can't wait for the new episodes!


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